Senator's divorce getting ugly

Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla has been temporarily ordered to stay 500 feet away from the Monroe Street lobbying firm of his estranged wife, Claudia Davant, and from the Governor’s Club. Tallahassee Circuit Judge Dawn Caloca-Johnson issued the order Friday after Davant filed an affidavit saying she was in “eminent fear for my life” amid the fallout of their pending divorce.

The judge noted Diaz de la Portilla had not had an opportunity to respond to the allegations, so she granted the injunction in advance of a June 1 hearing. The senator was served the order Monday during a Senate Victory fundraiser at the Gasparilla Inn’s tiki bar in Boca Grande, sources said.

Diaz de la Portilla called the allegations "bold-face lies" and said he'll file a complaint against Davant's attorney (see below**) Davant declined comment, saying the matter was private. Usually, divorce cases are. But Davant makes some explosive claims against a sitting senator and Republican leader in her affidavit, including allegations of “criminal investigations,” past abuse and even stalking. Some excerpts:

I am in eminent fear for my life to the point that I have fled out of town temporarily and am scared to return to my residence…..He has continued to stalk me almost to the point that I am in constant, ongoing fear for my life and safety of my friends. He has indicated that (he) would ensure that I did not finish this divorce alive and that he will continue to follow me until it was all over. My Husband (or caused some one to) attempted to break into my office (police were called), my computer hacked (investigation with FDLE underway), my house bugged, my phone hacked, and up to last week, someone was beating on the back door of my house at almost midnight just to cause me to be totally in fear….

My Husband is capable of doing anything, including great bodily harm to me, because of the divorce case and criminal investigations in which I am a witness. I have great concerns for my friends and family and most of all myself. My Husband can be extremely explosive and violent especially when under the influence of alcohol and is capable of doing anything. I am very concerned that he will also cause our animals harm because of his anger towards me and he is aware I love them very much. Our marriage has been emotionally volatile and he has been extremely verbally abusive and on at least one occasion physical with me.

I am seeking immediately Court intervention because I am at the point where I believe that I am in grave harm and that this situation is explosive after last night. I need to return to my house but am unable to do so without the Court’s intervention and protection. Tallahassee Police Department were called to my house. According to friends and witnesses, my Husband proceeded to ransack the house after the police left.

I would request an immediate injunction for my protection and safety. He is capable of anything at this point. I do not have family in this area and am requesting additional security assistance. Further, he has repeatedly told me that he isn’t scared of the Court or cops and will finish this his way.

From the Senator: "It is deeply troubling that Claudia is colluding and conspiring with her attorney to defame me and defraud me of what is rightfully mine. These are bold-face lies and a mean spirited attempt to extort and intimidate me. This is a work of fiction which will not succeed.

I will be asking the court to quash this immediately and to order a psychiatric and medical evaluation based on Claudia's past and present erratic and unpredictable behavior. I will also initiate a Florida Bar complaint against Ms. Thurman for her unethical and unprofessional actions. She should not be allowed to practice law in Florida.

I have repeatedly said that this is a private matter, but these ugly and outright lies that question my character can not go unanswered. When all is said and done people will know the truth."